Laying apparatus for winding rings of rolled rod

ABSTRACT

A laying apparatus for forming rings of a rod-shaped rolled strand has at least part of the cantilevered portion of the lying apparatus cantilevered from the main bearing composed of a material lighter than steel to reduce gravitational sag and increase the resonant frequency, thereby increasing the speed of the strand.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a laying apparatus for forming rings of a rod-shaped rolled strand and, more particularly, to a so-called laying cone having a hollow shaft through which a rod-shaped rolled strand is fed to a laying-tube holder carrying a laying tube whose outlet end is spaced from the axis of rotation and lays down the rings, usually overlapped or in spencerian coils, e.g. on a conveyor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A laying apparatus of the type mentioned comprises a hollow shaft supported in a main bearing and by an auxiliary bearing and formed with a laying-tube holder connected to the hollow shaft and cantilevered beyond the main bearing. The laying-tube holder is formed by a quill which is rotated with the hollow shaft and the laying-tube is wound in at least a partial turn about the axis of the quill and has an inlet end aligned with the axis of the hollow shaft and an outlet end spaced radially from the axis and from which the rolled rod-shaped strand is deposited in turns or rings on the conveyor or some other receiving surface. The laying apparatus is described and illustrated, for example, in EP 0 679 453.

[0003] In operation, the laying apparatus is rotated about the shaft axis and the rod-shaped rolled strand is simultaneously fed through the hollow shaft, is entrained by the laying-tube and is deposited in rings from the outlet end of the laying-tube which orbits the shaft.

[0004] The rolled strand emerges tangentially from the outlet end in the form of a series of rings or turns which can be collected on the conveyor belt and in which the rings overlap. The speed of the outlet end is proportional to the angular velocity and to the radial spacing of the outlet end from the shaft axis and corresponds approximately to the speed of the rod-shaped roll strand.

[0005] The laying apparatus, when it has a horizontal shaft axis and is at rest, shows a sag which is a consequence of the weight of the apparatus and the strand therein. This sag determines the resonant frequency. The resonant frequency, in turn, limits the speed with which the shaft can rotate and thus the maximum possible strand speed. The lower the sag caused by gravity in the rest state, the higher is the resonant frequency and thus the speed of the strand.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The principal object of the present invention is to provide a laying apparatus which has the smallest possible gravitationally determined sag and thus a maximum resonant frequency.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to provide an improved laying apparatus which is capable of operating with increased strand speeds and is particularly suitable for high speed rod rolling systems.

[0008] Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved ring laying apparatus for rod-shaped rolled strands which is free from drawbacks of prior art systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the invention by providing the quill or laying-tube holder so that it consists, at least partly, of a material that has a smaller density or specific gravity than that of steel.

[0010] Materials which have a density less than steel which can be utilized in accordance with the invention, are aluminum and magnesium and alloys thereof, synthetic resins, especially fiber reinforced synthetic resins and composites of the light metals mentioned and such synthetic resins.

[0011] The quill or laying-tube holder usually has a connecting piece for the rotational connection of it with the hollow shaft, a substantially rotationally symmetrical intermediate piece and a support structure which engages the intermediate piece and has a compensating structure for compensating for imbalance (e.g. a counterweight). At least the support structure should be composed of a material which has a lower density than that of steel.

[0012] By the use of light metals or fiber-reinforced synthetic resins in the cantilevered region of the laying apparatus and thus at one side of the main bearing (the side opposite that at which the auxiliary bearing is provided) there is a significant reduction in the sag due to gravity. In particular the sag can be diminished by forming the intermediate pieces and parts which are subjected to bending stresses and even the connecting piece of light metal. On both sides of the main bearing and especially on the cantilevered side, the curvature of the bending line is relatively small so that the bending line inclination of the hollow shaft at the main bearing is due to the gravitationally determined sag. Any reduction in the modulus of elasticity of the supported parts in the sag region results only in a very limited increase in the sag due to gravitational forces.

[0013] The laying-tube itself can also be composed of a material having a lower density than that of steel. The same applies for any guide formations which follow the laying-tube. Because of the thermal stresses to which these parts are subjected, we prefer to utilize ceramic materials and, for example, composite materials of light metal and ceramic for these parts. The laying-tube can be, for example, a light metal which can be internally lined with a ceramic layer. The laying apparatus of the invention for forming rings of a rod-shaped rolled strand can thus comprise:

[0014] a hollow shaft through which a rod-shaped rolled strand is fed;

[0015] a laying-tube holder connected to the hollow shaft for rotation therewith, the laying-tube holder being composed at least in part of a material having a lower density than the density of steel;

[0016] a laying-tube on the holder receiving the rod-shaped rolled strand from the hollow shaft and, upon rotation of the hollow shaft, the laying-tube holder and the laying-tube about an axis of the hollow shaft, depositing the rod-shaped rolled strand in rings, the laying-tube having an inlet end aligned with the axis of the hollow shaft and an outlet end spaced radially from the axis;

[0017] a main bearing rotatably supporting the hollow shaft at a location proximal to the laying-tube holder; and

[0018] an auxiliary bearing rotatably supporting the hollow shaft at a location remote from the laying-tube holder and axially spaced from the main bearing, the laying-tube holder extending from the main bearing away from the auxiliary bearing and being cantilevered from the main bearing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0019] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the use of a laying apparatus or laying cone according to the invention;

[0021]FIG. 2 is an axial section through the laying apparatus; and

[0022]FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the sag and the effect obtained with the present invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

[0023]FIG. 1 shows the application of the laying system of the invention and how a rod-shaped rolled strand 1 is deposited in the form of a series of rings or turns 3 on a conveyor belt 4 by means of the laying apparatus 2. The rolled strand is delivered with a speed vW to the laying head 2. simultaneously, the laying head 2 is rotated with an angular velocity n about a shaft axis 5. The laying head 2 can be driven for this purpose by a motor 6 through a transmission, usually an angle drive transmission such as a bevel gear transmission 7.

[0024] As can be seen from FIG. 2, the laying cone 2 can comprise a hollow shaft 8, a laying-tube holder or quill 9 and a laying-tube 10 mounted on the quill 9. The hollow shaft 8 is journalled in an auxiliary bearing 11 and in a main bearing 12 for rotation about the shaft axis 5. The bevel gearing 7 is located between the two bearings. The auxiliary bearing 11 and the main bearing 12 are axially spaced apart.

[0025] The quill 9 is cantilevered beyond the main bearing 12 at the end of the shaft 8 opposite that at which the auxiliary bearing 11 is provided and is connected by a connecting piece such as the flange 12 with the hollow shaft. It can be connected to a flange 8 a of the shaft by bolts 8 b. An intermediate piece which is rotationally symmetrical, has been shown at 14 and is held by the flange 13 on the end of the hollow shaft 8 projecting beyond the main bearing 12. The intermediate piece 14 has support plates 15, 16 and 17 on which the laying-tube 10 can be mounted and a counter weight can be provided at 18 to balance the laying-tube 10 and to compensate for imbalance on the laying-tube holder 9.

[0026] The plate 15 runs with the laying-tube 10 around the axis 5 and has connecting eyes 19 at which holders 20 which support the laying-tube 10 on the holder 9. The support plates 16 and 17 flank the plate 15 axially front and back. The support plates 15 to 17 form a support structure which mount the laying-tube 10 on the intermediate member 14.

[0027] The laying-tube 10 has an inlet end 21 and an outlet end 22 and between these ends defines a three dimensional curve extending over at least part of a turn. The inlet end 21 is aligned with the shaft axis and is flush with the hollow shaft to enable the strand to be inserted through the tube 10. The outlet end 22 is spaced by a radial distance d from the axis 5. The strand passes through the tube 10 and emerges at the end 22 to form the rings 3.

[0028] The laying head is rotated with a speed end and the strand passes out of the tube 10 at a distance d from the axis with a peripheral speed vU. The peripheral speed vU corresponds to the rolling speed vW. The outlet end 22 thus describes a circle 23 around the axis 5. The laying tube 10 is provided with a guide formation 24 which deposits the last turn 3 on the belt 4.

[0029] In a rest state, the laying head 2 with its horizontal shaft axis 5 suffers a gravitationally induced sag D. The sag D has been illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 3 and determines the resonance frequency which limits the speed n and thus indirectly the maximum possible rolling speed vW. The resonance frequency is higher as the sag D is reduced.

[0030] To reduce the sag D and thus the resonance frequency and indirectly the maximum rolling speed vW, the laying head 2 is not composed entirely of steel. Rather, the laying tube holder 9 is at least in part composed of a material with a lower density than that of steel. The material used is preferably a light metal, e.g. aluminum or magnesium or an alloy thereof. Fiber reinforced synthetic resin can also be used according to the invention. The sag D can thereby be reduced by more than half by comparison to a winding cone completely fabricated from steel.

[0031] It is possible, at a first instance, to form the parts of the laying tube holder 9 which are not subject to bending stresses from light metal. For example, the support structure 15 to 17 can be composed of light metal, the intermediate part 14 which may be subject to bending stress can be composed of light metal and indeed, the laying tube 10 and its guide 24 can also be composed of a material having a lower density than that of steel. A ceramic material can also be used and in the embodiment shown the light metal tube 10 can be lined internally with a ceramic.

[0032] The sag limits significantly the bending lines of the hollow shaft and the quill at the main bearing and hence the inclination of these lines to the axis 5.

[0033] In fact, in the embodiment shown only the hollow shaft 8 itself is composed of steel. The plates 15 to 17, the counterweight 18, member 14 and the connecting piece 13 are all composed of light metal. The laying tube 10 is composed of light metal with an internal ceramic layer and the guide formation 24 is composed of ceramic in those parts in which it is thermally and mechanically stressed and is otherwise of light metal. 80 

We claim:
 1. A laying apparatus for forming rings of a rod-shaped rolled strand, comprising: a hollow shaft through which a rod-shaped rolled strand is fed; a laying-tube holder connected to said hollow shaft for rotation therewith, said laying-tube holder being composed at least in part of a material having a lower density than the density of steel; a laying tube on said holder receiving said rod-shaped rolled strand from said hollow shaft and, upon rotation of said hollow shaft, said laying-tube holder and said laying tube about an axis of said hollow shaft, depositing said rod-shaped rolled strand in rings, said laying tube having an inlet end aligned with said axis of said hollow shaft and an outlet end spaced radially from said axis; a main bearing rotatably supporting said hollow shaft at a location proximal to said laying-tube holder; and an auxiliary bearing rotatably supporting said hollow shaft at a location remote from said laying-tube holder and axially spaced from said main bearing, said laying-tube holder extending from said main bearing away from said auxiliary bearing and being cantilevered from said main bearing.
 2. The laying apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the laying tube holder is composed at least partly of a light metal selected from the group which consists of aluminum and magnesium or of a fiber reinforced synthetic resin.
 3. The laying apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said laying tube holder comprises a connecting piece for rotatable connection of the laying tube holder with said hollow shaft and an intermediate piece, a support structure on said intermediate piece carrying said laying tube and at least part of said support structure is composed of a material having a density less than that of steel.
 4. The laying apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said intermediate piece is composed of a material having a density less than that of steel.
 5. The laying apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said laying tube has a density less than that of steel.
 6. The laying apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said laying tube has an outer portion composed of a light metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and magnesium and internally lined with a ceramic.
 7. The laying apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said laying tube has a guide formation formed of a material with a lower density than that of steel.
 8. The laying apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said guide formation is composed of light metal and ceramic. 